Chamonix, along with much of the Northern Alps, has been blasted by extreme winds over the last 24 hours. Gust blasted to 180km/h. From 21h the wind took everything in its way, trees, roofs, roadsigns, the overhead wires of the Montenvers train. Part of the Blaitière forest was felled and in the town the roof of a shop was ripped off, landing next door. From midnight to 3am electricity was cut to the whole valley. Even the fire service didn’t escape, windows in the fire station were blown out by the gusts. Needless to say, the warm southerly winds have done little for the snowpack.